Former Andhra minister arrested for brandishing gun

Naveen S Garewal 

Tribune News Service 

Hyderabad, August 31  

Even when out of power, some politicians continue to throw their weight around. In one such case, the Telangana police have booked former Andhra Pradesh minister G. Mohan Reddy for taking out his licenced revolver to threatening construction workers, who were digging a canal near his fields. 

According to the complaint lodged by the site engineer and other workers with the police, the incident took place on Sunday evening in Urumadla village of Chityala Mandal in Nalgonda district. “The workers were digging an irrigation canal when Gutta Mohan Reddy, a former minister, came and threatened the workers to stop the work. He had an argument with the site engineer and JCB operator and soon afterwards he pulled out his weapon, asking the workers to leave.”

The video of the former minister threatening the workers went viral on social media. Initially hesitant to take on a politician, but the site engineer Narender decided to lodge a complaint. The former minister has been booked under the Arms Act and arrested the former minister, who was later released after furnishing a personal bond. 

Reddy had won the 1978 and 1983 legislative council elections in undivided Andhra Pradesh and had also served as agriculture minister in Nadendla Bhaskar Rao’s cabinet. 

“Mohan Reddy obstructed the canal digging work and wanted the site engineer to change the alignment of the canal so that it does not cut across his field,” said Chityala Circle Inspector of Police Shankar Reddy. He said the police had seized his weapon along with 25 bullets that he is permitted to keep as per his licence. 

Officials said the land belonging to the politician had been acquired by the government for the purpose of digging an irrigation canal and the compensation had already been paid. But despite taking the compensation, the minister did not want to hand over possession of the land. 

The Chityala police have booked him under Section 30 of the Arms Act (Punishment for contravention of the license or rule) and Sections 503 (criminal intimidation), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341(punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code.  

Police said they have also imposed Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code, which is cognizable and non-bailable. The said section says whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with simple or rigorous imprisonment for a term extending up to 2 years, or with fine, or with both; if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt.